BALASORE: Mamata Banerjee, the president of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the chief minister of West Bengal, reached Balasore, Odisha, on Saturday to assess the situation following the crash on Friday involving two passenger trains and a goods train, which resulted in at least 261 fatalities and 900 injuries. 

The Bengal CM described it as the worst railway tragedy of the century while she was there and questioned why the train had no anti-collision system in place. She also urged that the event be thoroughly investigated. Mamata expressed her concern that the death toll might go further and declared that her administration is prepared to assist the railways in any manner it can. 

One of the best express trains is the Coromandel. I served as railway minister three times. This is the largest train accident of the twenty-first century, based on what I saw. Such occurrences are referred to the Railway Safety Commission, who conducts an investigation and produces a report.As far as I know, there was no anti-collision equipment on the train. This would not have happened if the device had been on board the train.The Bengal CM addressed the media and said, "The deceased cannot be brought back, but our focus now is rescue operation & restoration of normalcy.

"Railway offers compensation of Rs 10 lakhs. Till the job is over, we would collaborate and work with the Railways and the Odisha Government, and we will give each resident of our state Rs 5 lakhs. "Today, 70 ambulances were despatched, up from 40 yesterday. Mamata Banerjee, the former railways minister and chief minister of West Bengal, added, "40 of our physicians have arrived here and are working.

A M Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety for the South East Circle, would be in charge of the investigation into the train disaster, as per the  statement released by the railways on Saturday. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

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